Factory tag or ticket making apparatus.



C. H. NICHOLS.

FACTORY TAG OB. TICKET MAKING APPARATUS.

APPLIGATION FILED JUNET,1909. 1,105,995. Patented Aug. 4, 1914 8SHEETS-SEER? 1.

LIUUUUU 5566. gut/4416M .ffiior-ne q 8 $HEETB-BHEET 2.

Patented Aug. 4, 1914 APPLICATION FILED JUNE 7, 1909.

1,105.99&

C. H. NICHOLS.

FACTORY TAG 0R TICKET MAKING APPARATUS.

1,105,995. APPLIOA'IION FILED JUNE 7, 1908. Aug. 4

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G. H. NICHOLS.

FACTORY TAG 0B TICKET MAKING APPARATUS.

APPLIUATION IILED Jun. 7, 1909.

1, 1 05,995. Patelltfid Allg- 1914 8 BHBETSEHEBT 4.

dwwmt Jana 66L J1: AGO 10x5, a I" 'Q G. H. NICHOLS.

FACTORY TAG 0R 'I'IUKBT MAKING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE '7, 1909. Patented Aug. 41

B SHEETS-SHEET 5.

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G. H. NICHOLS.

FACTORY TAG 0R. TICKET MAKING APPARATUSi APPLICATION FILED JUHE], 1909.

Patented Aug. 4, 1914.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 8.

ZbbZnesse C. H. NICHOLS.

FACTORY TAG 0R TICKET MAKING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE7,1B09.

Patented Aug. 4, 1914.

8 BKEBTS SHEBT 7.

-1... -Jaiii-aw a G. H. NICHOLS.

FACTORY TAG 0B TICKET MAKING APPARATUS.

urucnmu FILED JUNE 1, 1009.

1,105,995. Patented Aug. 4, 19m

8 SHBETB-SEBET 8.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES H. NICHOLS, OF HAVERHILL, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO AUTOMATICACCOUNTING COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSA-CHUBETTS.

FACTORY TAG OB TICKET MAKING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 4, 1914.

State of Massachusetts. have invented an Improvement in Factory Tag orTicket? Making Apparatus, of whiclrthe following description, inconnection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, l keletters on the drawings representing like parts.

In my application Ser. No. 449,447 filed Aug. 20,1908, I have set fortha card or tag apparatus for following out a cost system. particularlyadapted for factory use such as shoe factories, whereby a card, tag. orticket, is provided with itemized data in a predetermined order andprovided also with permanent distinguishing marks having a predeterminedarrangement whereby case number, pairs. etc. may be printed at certainrelated items of said data are arranged conspicuously. tion is a machinefor automatically making these cards or tags. For instance. shoefactories have what are known as shop orders which inform thedepartments and employees as to all the particular parts and kinds ofmaterial. etc., of a given shoe, price tags (usually of the coupon kind)which indicate the piece price or standard price which each workman isto receive for the work done and which are used for enabling theindividual workmen to obtain their pay, and tags which are a combinationof both of the above, besides, in some instances. various other specialtags. For instance, a combination tag has a number of divisions. one,for instance, relating to linings which contains all the details oflinings, another which relates to quarters or tops and contains thosedetails, another relating to outsoles, another to in-soles, vamps, andothers- My present invenonly of the shoe, and sometimes a tag has amanifold portion, etc. Accordingly, to permit the manufacture of thesetags with practical rapidity as wanted at the factory, and in order tomake the great variety thereof inexpensively with a single machine, Ihave devised the hereinafter described mechanism, whereby the tags areprinted with such items as may be required, as, for instance, a casenumber, pairs, sheet number, or anything else, as, for instance, thetrademark or other identification of the particular shoe represented bya given tag, and at the same time are punched or are given otherdistinguishing mark in accordance with a templet or master card.

he machine is so arranged that the printing and the punching take placesimultaneouslv and yet are capable of being operated independently, sothat, for instance, the

the top of one division where it should occur but once, and yet inanother division, as the coupon division, may be printed on each coupon.In the former instance the printing takes place at the head of thedivision and then stops while the card is moved to another division(which may be a short move or a long move according to the division) andis then printed again, and is then moved it may be to a coupon division,whereupon each coupon is simultaneously printed and also punched.

iLfurther capability of the machine relates to making duplicate tags.For instance, if there are sixty cases of shoes to he made exactly alikethere would ncces' sarily be sixty identical tags, and accordingly mymachine contains mechanism for automatically running through a tag underthe control of a templet so that the tag is automatically printed andpunched without the attention of the operator. Preferably the templet isthen automatically returned ready to repeat the operation for the nexttag, and so on. with great rapidity, until the entire number has beenprinted and punched. In this connection also, I provide means forchanging the case number on each successive tag while the rest of thetag remains the same. A third provision enables the operator to print,and punch if necessary. a portion of the tag by stopping the machineafter each operation (as might be required for printing the shop orderportion of the tag) and then when the coupon por ion of the tag isreached permitting the machine to print and punch automatically and athigh speed for such given portion of the tag as desired. In other words,my machine is capable of being operated at the will of the operator orautomatically, in accordance with a templet, and is capable of beingoperated once and then brought automatically to a stop or of beingoperated automatically for such time as the operator may desire and thenbrought to a stop, or of being operated automatically until a card ortag is finished and then automatically stopped, or of being operatedautomatically for a given division and then automatically stopped, to becontinued at the will of the operator for the remaining portions of thetag if desired.

The constructional details and further advantages of my invention willappear more fully in the course of the following description taken withreference to the accompany iug drawings, in which I have shown apreferred embodiment of a machine for carrying out my invention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a view of the machine in front elevation,parts being broken away for convenience; Fig. 2 is a detail in frontelevation of the xtreme left end of a portion of the releasingmechanism; Fig. 3 is a right-hand end elevation of the machine; Fig. 4is a top plan view thereof: Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken onthe line 55 Fig. 3, showing details of the punching mechanism, automaticstopping mechanism, and feeding mechanism: Fig. 6 is a transversevertical sectional view on the line 66 Fig. 1, showing the raceway forthe templet and indicating in dotted lines the receiving position of thefront wall thereof; Fig. 7 is a view in rear elevation of the templetoperating mechanism: Fig. 8 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 8Fig. 7, showing a detail of the finger operating mechanism; Fig. 9 is atop plan iew partly in section, of the mechanism shown in Fig. 7," Figs.10 and 11 are sectional details on the lines 10 and 11 Fig. 7; Fig. 12is a vertical sectional view diametrically taken on the diameter 12 Fig.9 down to part 181 and thence on the bent line m ra Fig. 9: Fig. 13 is ahorizontal sectional view on the line 13 Fi 7; Fig. 14 is a similarsectional view eniarged, omitting the bracket for arm 219 and certainother parts in order to show more clearly the details of the unwindingmechanism, said figure also showing the gearing and spiral n detail;Fig. 15 similarly shows the levers of Fig. 14 in another position; Fig.16 is a vertical sectional view on the line 16-46 Fig. 3; Figs. 17 and18 show in front ele vation the clutch its shaft being sectioned) ininoperative and in operative position re spectively; Fig. 19 is a detailin elevation showing the adjustable cam member 20; Fig. 20 is adiametric view of the wiring of the machine; and Fig. .21 is afragmentary view in plan of the templet.

The machine proper is carried on a suit able base 1 supported at 2 on abench 8. A work table 4, 5, 6, receives and transmits the work beneath aprinting mechanism 7 and punching mechanism while above and to the rearof a wall 9 is the templet and templet-operating mechanism 10. thelatter being best shown in Fig. 4, the templet being shown in Fig. 21 at11. Power is derived from a shaft 12 which operates the printingmechanism directly, and operates the punching mechanism through a facecam 13 and operates the templet actuating uu-chanism through a path cam14.

It is to be borne in mind that the require. incnts of the particularWork in hand mali'e it ess ntial that the printing and punching shall beextremely accurate. 1nd accordingly. to insure this result. I feed theblanlforward intermittinglv, bringing the blank to a definite stop forthe punching operation but causing it to engage and move forward withthe printing mechanism when being printed. To this end, when a card orblank is placed on the table 4 with its front end beneath the printingmechanism T it is engaged at the proper moment by a prcsser roll '15.Figs. 1, 53, carried by a yoke to fast on a shaft 1?, which is providedat its rear end with a crank 18, Fig. 4', whose cam roll 19 is engagedat the proper time by a cam lump 20. Fig. 3. on the cam 13, which servesto raise the presser roll 15 momentarily into pressing engagement withthe card. Said roll is driven by a pinion 91 and gcar 22 on a shaft 23,Fig. 1. actuated by any suitable means as by a belt pulley Q4 and beltengaged with a pulley or hub 26 fast on the driving pulley 27 of themachine. The remaining parts of the machine are driven through a clutchmechanism from the pulley 27, as presently described. As herein shown.the cooperating means which, in conjunction with the presser roll 15,gives ac uran feed, is the printing mechanism 7, which is swung over tothe left, Fig. 1, by its shaft 12, and is preferably in approximatelyvertical position just as the presser roll 15 is raised. so that theforward rotary mo vcment of the roll 15 instantly feeds the paper alongand as the surface movement of said roll and the forward movement of theprinting mechanism are. the same the result is that the printing iseffected with extreme accuracy and also the distance that the paper isfed is correspondingly accurate.

To stop the paper positively the moment that it has been fed to theright distance I provide a presser foot 28, Figs. 1, 4, 5, pivoted at 29on one arm 30 of an elbow lever loosely sleeved on a shaft 31 and havingits other arm 32 provided with: a cam roll 33 operated by an adjustablelump 34 of the cam 13, F ig. 3, in timed relation to the feeding,operation, so that the presser foot positively stops the paper at theinstant the feeding movement ceases. The presser foot 28 is guidedvertically at 35 and normally held raised by a spring 36 and its lowerend cotiperates with an anvil or rigid abutment 37, Fig. 5, just beneaththe paper, said anvil being supported on a fixed bracket or post 38,Fig. 3. To prevent any accidental movement of the blank and maintain itin position when first placed, I provide a second presser foot orhold-down 39 on the end of a spring arm 40 fast at 41 on the upper endof a treadle rod 42 herein shown as operated in conjunction with theclutch operating treadle rod 43, to which it is connected by anoperating lever 4- so that when the treadle 45 is depressed the clutchis operated and also the hold-down 39. To prevent the holddown 39 frominterfering with the feeding movement of the card, I secure to therockshaft 17, which operates the presser roll, a bifurcated lever or lug46, w ich serves to raise a hollow lifter 47 into engagement with thespring lever -10 so as to spring the holddown 39 away from the anvilsufliciently to permit the free passage of the blanks when ever therock-shaft is rocked so as to raise the presser roll to feedingposition. The hollow lifter is guided on the upper end of a fixed rod orpin 48.

Any particular kind of printing mechanism may be employed provided itcontains a series of relatively movable characters, so as to be capableof cooperating with the rest of the machine in effecting the desiredresults. As herein shown, the printing mechanism is of the kindcontaining a series of numbering disks -19 independently rotatable so asto change the case numbers. pairs. and sheet numbers according to therequirements of the successive cards. As the ordinary requirements of ashoe factory demand that the case numbers and the numbers for the pairsand the sheet numbers shall be printed on the cost tickets or tags, Ihave rovided a numbering machine containing t ree sets of these disks.as indicated by the braces 01, b, 0, Fig. 3. As the internal mechanismof numbering machines is well known and does not constitute any part ofmy invention, I have omitted showing the same herein. In Fig. 16 thecooperating parts are shown, consisting of an inking roll 50 looselyjournaled in a yoke 51 mounted on an eccentric pin 52 journaled at 53 ina stationary part 54' of the frame. The inking roll cotiperates with a.series of ink distributing rolls 55, 56, 57, 58. 59, the latter takingthe ink 60 from a stationary reservoir 61. A scraper 62 held forward bya rod 63 adjustable at 64 acting in opposition to a spring 65, servespartially to regulate the deliver of ink. Power for these parts isderived rom the shaft 31 and gears 66, 67, 68 to a pinion 69 and gear70, the latter being journaled directly on a web or arm 71 of the framewhich, together with the overhanging portion 72 and corresponding web73, see F 1g. 4, supports the printing mechanism. On the gear is aneccentric 74 which operates in the slot 75 of a lever 76 pivoted at 77t0 the frame and connected at 78 to a link 79 adjustably pivoted to theupper end of a lever 80 pivoted at its lower end to the axis of the roll59 and provided with a pawl 81 which engages the teeth of a ratchet 82fast on said roll 59, so that thereby the roll 59 is ratcheted around bythe revolutions of the eccentric 74. The roll 58 is mounted in a frame83 fast on a shaft 84 to which is secured a cam disk 85 cut away at 86and engaged at times by a pin 87 on the gear 70, so that each time thegear 70 rotates. the pin 87, by its engagement with the disk 85, rocksthe ink-distributing roll 58 from its full-line position Fig. 16 backinto contact with the roll 59 from which it receives ink, being thenreturned by a coiled sprin 88 around the shaft 84. To give the distriuting rolls 56, 57 a usual endwise movement, the downturned end 89 of anarm 90 carried by the lever 76 engages the forked end 91 of a T-shapedlever 92 pivoted at 93 and carrying at its opposite upturned forked endsat 94, 95, respectively, shifting plates 96, 97 bent at their oppositeends into U shape to overlap the opposite end of the shafts 98, 99 ofsaid distributing rolls 56, 57. Thus when the T-shaped lever 92 isturned on its pivot it causes one of the members 96 to shiftlongitudinally in one direction and the other member 97 to shift in theopposite direction, thereby correspondingly shifting theink-distributing rolls. The yoke 51 which carries the ink delivery roll50 is normally held upward by a spring 100 adjustable at 101. and theposition of said roll 50 with relation to the rotating counter orprinting device 7 is regulated by the eccentric 52, at 53 so as todeliver more ink or less ink to the type as desired.

The punching mechanism forms an important feature of my invention,whereby not only is the punching exceedingly quick and accurate, therebypermitting t e ma chine to be run at high speed (as is necessary inorder to permit the machine to turn out daily all the different tags ortickets required for the usual large shoe factory) but, although verysmall and :compact. it cooperates or responds automatically to thetemplet or master card which determines the order or arrangement of thepunch holes or designations in accordance with the given order,schedule, or list made out at the oifice for the particular shoe or workfor which the tag or, ticket is to be punched.

Ill]

Figs. 3, 4, and 5 best show the details of the unching mechanism, whichappears also in ig. 1. As herein shown I provide six peaches and theircorresponding actuating mechanisms, said punches bein arran ed in astraight line transversely of the ta le or card, so as to punch out,mutilate or otherwise particularly distinguish any one of a series ofsix items extending transversely of the tag or ticket, as will be betterunderstood from my before mentioned applica tion. It will be understoodthat it may be preferred to mutilate or punch out five of the said sixitems, thereby rendering the sixth item conspicuous by not being punchedout, or, when the operation designated by any particular coupon is to beomitted, then all six of the items thereon will be simultaneouslypunched out. ()n the other hand, some coupons may have but two or threeor other less number than the complete six items to select from, andstill other variations or requirement may occur, all of which mymechanism is adapted to handle with equal rapidity, accuracy andfacility. Referring now to said Figs. 3, 4, and 5, it will be seen thateach punch 102 is arranged to reciprocate in a bushing 103 through astrip per plate 101 and a die 105 set into a die holder lUU clamped at107 to a square trans- \Ll'tt. rigid stud 108. The bushing 103 iseccentric so as to iermit the punch 102 to be shifted into absn utelyaccurate alineinent with the hole in the stripper plate and in the die.being held immovable when once adjusted, by a pin 109 actuated by a setbolt iltl. The punch is operated by an elbow lever 111 pivoted at 112and normally held upward by a spring 113 against a stop 114 on the upperend of the bolt 110. At its op pusite end the elbow lever carries adetent 115 pivoted thereon and normally held down at its hooked forwardend by a spring 116. .\t its opposite end the detent 115 is engaged bythe forward end of an armature 117 adapted to lie c ntracted by anelectromagni-z 11h whose terminals are secured to binding ilhlh ililzt). The sensitiveness of the armature or its normal distance from thech-i'tr inagnct is regulated by a set screw lfil. 'lliesc parts arecarried in a rectangular frana secured by pins 123 and a set acres 121cabove the table suiiiciently to permit the cards to pass thereunder} toan arm or bracket 12?) clamped at 126 to a spline shaft 19?, said arm orbracket 12?) supptii' the panel: and various parts al rvadi' a. :intiallthe same 1111 I .e ri i uw-ri lml in count in. eat-h pnisrii, so thatthe pair-hr and operating parts may l e added. 4 d from each ther 'tt riir. A iggg 4'11! l il ttl the requirements of the given trade (thatherein shown being adapted to the usual requirements of the shoe trade).

All the parts of the punchin mechanism thus far described are carried ya casting 128 clamped between adjustin screws 1:29 130, Fig. 5, so thatthey may all be removed together for adjustment, inspection, or otherpurpose. Their adjustment by means of the set screws 129, 130 alsopermits the punching mechanism to be moved for a long or short feed asdesired with relation to the printing mechanism. All the punches areactuate by a common actuator, herein shown as a relatively heavtransverse arm 131 havin a. reduced en 132 ad'ustably held in a s ot 133at the lower end 0 a lever 134 whose pivoted upper end is adjustablyheld by a bolt 135 in slots 136 in the frame, said lover 134 having adepending end 137 provided with a cam roll 138 traveling in the face cam13. Thus the lever 134 is constantly oscillated back and forth with eachrevolution of the machine, thereby actuating at each forward movementall those punches whose magnets have been energized so as to attracttheir armatures and thereby lift their detents 115 into the path of theswinging arm 131 so as to be engaged thereby, and pulled forwardforcibly with their elbow levers 111 which actuate the punches.

In Fi 21 I have illustrated one form of a typica templet 11 to be 11. edin connection with the controlling mechanism shown in detail in Figs. 1,1, 615. At the back side of the table 4 I provide a iemplet guide 139having a stationary back plate 140 set vertically and a movable frontplate 141 herein shown as having a handle or thumb lip 141-2 and hingedat 143, 144 so as to turn down from its full line )osition Fig. 6 to itsdotted line position or the purpose of quickly receiving a tem let. Thetemplet has a series of feeding ho es 14-5 at some convenient point,herein shown as adjacent its top and bottom edges respectively, and isprovided with the desired controlling holes 146 which serve to controlthe operation of the punches. As herein shown I. de end upon electricalconnections and these holes 146 permit the circuit to he completed byautomatic circuit closers. hen the templet is put in place and the dooror movable part 141 is closed, it thereby swings a switch arm 14? so asto complete the circuit at 148. The wiring is shown in Fig. 20. where itwill be seen that conductor wires 149, 150 connect between the contart1.48 and one side 1511 of the main switch 1353. and wires 153, 154, 15::and intcrgjioscd solenoid 156 and wires 15?. 153, switch 159 and wire16D eounewt between the contact 142' and the opposite ite llil t l mainswitch 1552, the ind l at 162,

thrown, thereby actuating the motor 164 to drive the driving belt 165 ofthe machine, the placing of the templet as explained serves to close theswitch 147, 148 by pressing against the tail end of the pivoted part147, see Fig. 4, thereby energizing the solenoid 156 which causes it topull in on its core 166. As said core 166, however, cannot moveappreciably toward the solenoid. the solenoid moves rearwardly againstthe action of spring 167, see Fig. 9, carrying with it its supportingmember 168 which is pivoted concentrically of 169 until the upturned end170 of lever 171 which is pivoted at 172 to said supporting member 168has passed the free end 173 of a fixed arm 174. whereupon said end 170is suddenly moved to the left Fig. 9 by its spring 175 moving in a slot176 of 168, thereby breaking the circuit at 177, 178, and dei nergizingthe solenoid 156. Meanwhile, however, as the core 166 and said solenoidwere being pulled toward each other before the breakin of said circuit,a spring 179 within the solenoid, see Fig. 13, was compressed, and themoment the solenoid is deenergized said spring 179 operates to propelthe core 166 rearward. the swingmg supporting member 168 being thenprevented from recovering its original position by reason of theengagement of the hooked up-turned end 170 with the free end of thefixed arm 174. This forcible rearward movement of the core 166 operatesto bring into operative engagement a pawl and ratchet mechanism, as willpresently be described. Said movement of the core 166 operates through alink 180 to rock an arm 181 loose on a fixed shaft 182 rearwardly,carrying with it a plate 183 whose hub 12, is clamped adjustably theretoby a screw 185, Fig. 13. The plate 183 is an oblique slot 186 in whichoperates a pin 187 depending from a plate 188, see Fig. 10, bifurcatedto straddle the shaft 182 and said piii 187 passing through a radialslot 189 in a plate 190 clamped at 191 fast to the shaft 182, theresultant action of said oblique slot 186 and radial slot 189 being towithdraw the plate 188 inwardly each time that the arm 181 is movedrearwardly and to project said plate each time that the arm 181 ispulled forward. This controls the position of two pawls 192 and 193whose pins 194, 195 rest against the cur ed outer edge of the slidingplate 188, said pawls normally engaging the teeth of a ratchet wheel 196when the templet-feeding mechanism is in operation. The pawls are heldtoward looking position by springs 197, 1'98,see Figs. 7 and 9. Pinnedto the ratchet 196 is a gear 199, which meshes with a gear 200 fast on ashaft 201, to which is secured a drum 202 above said gear 200 providedat its top with feeding pins 203 and at its bottom with similar feedingpins 204. These pins 203, 204,

184, see Fig.

provided with cooperate with the holes 140 of the templet 11 to feed thelatter. Both plates or walls 140, 141 are cut away at 205 Fig. 1, forthe free movement of said pins, and the front wall extends slightlyfarther to the right and' is preferably curved as shown clearly in Fig.4, so as to cause the templet to hug in toward the drum for feeding tothe best advantage. Fast on the shaft 201 below the gear 200 is a lpinion 206, see Fig. 14, in mesh with a gear 207 loose on the shaft 182which serves to wind a helical spring 208 secured at its inner end tothe hub of said gear and at its outer end to a drum or box 209. Thetension of this spring is regulated by a ratchet 210 held by a dog 211or by any other suitable means. This spring serves to reverse thefeeding movement of the feeding drum l 202 at the end of the feedingoperation so as to bring the templet back automatically to its startingposition for producing another tag if required, said reverse movementtaking place automatically whenever the ratchet 196 is entirelydisengaged by its pawls. This disengagement takes place whenever thetemplet passes beyond a spring I contact 212, Fig. 4, which is therebypermitted to close against an opposite stationi ary contact 213, whichcompletes the circuit from wire 153 to wire 155 by conductors 214, 215,Fig. 20, thereby energizing the solenoid 156 with the result that itpulls in its core 166 and reverses the movement of the plate 188previously described, so that said plate moves radially outward andpushes said pawls 192, 193, out of engagement with the 1 ratchet wheel196. As soon as said ratchet wheel is released, the spring 208 instant yreverses the movement of the drum 202, which retracts the templet.

To regulate the distance rearward to which i the templet is returned, Iprovide a member 216 containing a helical track or groove 217 (saidmember being formed either integrally or fastened 'immovably upon thegear 207) see Figs. 12, 14 and 15. Coiiperating therewith are threepivoted levers 218. 219, 220, the former having a pin 221 traveling inthe helical groove 217 so that as the templet is fed forward the lever218 is moved outward against its spring 222 until it moves the lever 220from the position Fig. 14 to the position Fig. 15 by engaging a lug 223thereof. The lever 219 constitutes a locking dog, and overhanging thesame is a depending ear 224, see Fig. 12, from the arm 181, and when thecore 166 of the solenoid is pulled inwardly the slight movement of thearm 181 caused thereby moves said ear 224 just sufficiently to permit alocking shoulder 225 of said dog 219 under the influence of a spring 226to drop behind said car as shown in Fig. 15, so that as long as it isthus held the pawls 192, 193, cannot engage their ratchet wheel. Whenhowever the circuit closer 212 condition for feeding the tem closes thecircuit and the reverse movement of the templet takes place thecorresponding reversal of the helical groove 217 moves the lever 218gradually inward until an arm 227 of the lever 220 engages a finger 228of the dog or lever 219. I prefer to secure the disengagement of theshoulder 225 of the dog 219 from behind the ear 224 suddenly, ratherthan gradually, and accordingly when the lever 220 has been permitted tomove inwardly as described, its pointed end 229 engages the periphery ofthe grooved member 216 (which, it will be borne in mind, is beingrapidly rotated in its reverse movement) and at the right instant saidpointed end 229 drops into a notch 230 in said periphery and thereby notonly takes up the shock of the spring movement and relieves the otherparts therefrom, but instantly disengages the dog 219 from the ear 224,thereby permitting the spring 179 ofthe solenoid 156 to come again intoaction as before, so that the pawls 122, 193, can engage their ratchetwheel 196 and place the feeding apparatus again in let forward. Byhaving the lever 220 in t e form ofa dog to engage the notch 230 thefurther advantage is secured of always having the parts at the sameinitial starting point upon each return of the templet. As the templetis fed forward its holes 146 permit circuit closers to operate to closethe circuit, thereby actuating the particular punch or punches requiredfor duplicating in the tag the holes in the templet. To this end Iprovide a series of contact makers or circuit closers in the form ofmetal fingers 231, see Figs. 4, 68, pivoted at 232 on insulating blocks233 clamped to a rockshaft 234 standing vertically at the rear side ofthe guideway in which the templet travels, a spring 235 permitting saidfingers to yield with relation to each other so that they may..close thecircuit independently of each other according as a hole in the templetcomes opposite one or the other, and also so that they may yield for theforward feedin movement of the templet. Each finger has its ownindependent circuit through the corresponding electromagnet of thepunching mechanism, one only thereof being shown in Fig. 20, where itwill be seen that from the finger 2314i conductor 236 extends to themagnet 118 and thence a wire 237 leads preferably to a rheostat 238which connects to the main circuit of the machine at any convenientpoint as at the starting switch 159. Hence as the templet is fedforward, a punch circuit is closed each time that a hole 146 passesbeneath the circuit closing end of the lever 231, so that for instancethree punches will first be 0 erated by the templet shown in Fi 21, anthen one punch at the next forwar movement of said templet and nextthree more punches and next two punches and so on, thereby causing thepunches to duplicate in the tag the number of holes and their relativepositions the same as in the templet. The fixed contact with which themovable contact fingers 231 co ipcrate is indicated at 239 mounted in aninsulating block 240 and connected by a conductor 2&1 to the wire 214.Preferably condensers 242 are introduced in the circuit of the automaticswitches controlled by the tern plot, to prevent sparking and consequentcharring of the templet. To remove the contact fingers 231 from the pathof the templet when the latter is to be returned after the completion ofits forward movement, I provide a crank 24-3 extending from therock-shaft 234 and adjustably ecnnected at 244 to a link 245 whichconnects to a crank 246 of a shaft 247 which is connected by a secondcrank 248 to a pin 249 on the free end of the lever or arm 181, see Fig.13, so that as the arm 181 is moved forward by the core 166, the crank248 is correspondingly moved thereby, through the shaft 247 and otherparts just mentioned, retracting all the contact fingers 231 rearwardlyout of the path of movement of the templet. A bar 250 limits theirrearward movement. The shaft 247 is supported by a fixed angle arm 251shown in Fig. 7, and the shaft 234 is similarly sup ported at itsopposite ends in brackets 252.

'To permit the solenoid 156 and its support 1ti8 and parts carriedthereby to be restored to their original position as shown in Fig. 9, 1provide on the front wall or door 141 a lug or tappet 253 and on the arm171 a projecting beveled tail piece 254. see Figs. 1, 4, 6, and 9, sothat when the door or front wall 141 is turned down on its hinges 143144, the fixed tappet 253 crowds against the tail piece 254 and therebyswings the lever 171 in opposition to its spring 175 out of engagementwith the fixed arm 174, thereby closing the switch 177, 178, and alsopermitting the spring 167 to swing the parts forward. tibn to cause thesolenoid 156 to be energized whenever a new templet is placed in themachine and the door closed. Simply closing the door without thepresence of a. templet does not energize the solenoid, as the tail endof circuit closer 147 then remains undisturbed. The feeding of thetemplet is accomplished by providing the pawl 192 witlt'p reciprocatingmovement, the pawl 193 serving merely to prevent backward movement ofthe ratchet after it has been moved forward by the pawl 192. The pawl192 is mounted on a post 255 at the free end of a lever 256, Figs. 7,12, loosely mounted on the shaft 182 and actuated by a link 257, Fig. 4,adjustably secured by a thumb nut 258 in a dovetailed groove 259extending longitudinally of one arm 260 of an elbow lever pivoted at261, whose opposite arm 262 carries a cam r011 263 engaging the pathThus the machine is left in posicam 14 on its under side, see Fig. 3, sothat at each revolution of said cam its elbow lever is swung forward andback, thereby ratcheting the feed drum 202 forward step by step. Thetemplet is fed by the feed drum along a curved way or receiving path264, spring fingers or strippers 265 being provided at the ingoing endof said curved path to strip the templet from the drum and preventritbeing carried around improperly by the drum. The timing of the actuatingparts is such that when a templet is in position to be fed but is stillstationary, the lever 260 is about midway forward to the right, Fig. 4,from its backward position and the templet is in such position that thecontact fingers 231 are held out of circuit-closing position. Thereuponthe further forward movement of the actuating lever 260 feeds thetemplet forward until the hole or holes 146 of the next transverse roware in position to permit the circuit closers 231 to close the circuitthrough the templet, whereupon the ratchet and its actuating lever Starton their backward movement and hence cease to feed, leaving the templetstationary. At the beginning of this halting of the templet, theprinting mechanism accomplishes its printing movement and is succeededby the operation of the punching mechanism which punches the tag justprinted. As the punch or punches reach their lowest punching movementand hence their actuating electro magnets no longer require current, thepawl 192 begins its forward feeding movement, thereby moving the tem letforward so as to insulate or move the ngers 231 to inoperative position.Thus the printing is accomplished just before the punching, as requiredfor speed and accuracy, and the templet is halted or held stationary atthe time the punching is being affected, the result being that there isno possibility of uncertainty as to the closing of the circuit at thetemplet which actuates the punching mechanism, but on the contrary thecircuit closers 231 remain in circuit-closing osition without anypossibility of being disturbed for a relatively long interval ascompared with the feeding interval, thereby insurin certainty ofoperation of the punches and precision of the punch holes with referenceto the feeding of the blank. A further important advantage of thisfeature of the invention is that b having the templet held stationary orha ted during the closing of the circuit which actuates the punches, atemplet may be used having smaller holes than would be possible if thetemplet were continuously fed forward, and hence the templet and the tagcan be identical as to the size and position of the holes. The tags areguided by a rear edge guide 266 adjustable in transverse slots 267 and afront edge guide 268 on the table 4.

In order to permit the machine to make one tag or a part of a tag or aseries of tags at the will of the operator, I provide special parts andconnections which render it possible to keep the machine continuouslyrunning, or to stop it upon the complete passage of one blank, or at anypoint in the passage of said blank. The driving pulley 27 loose upon itsshaft 12, is connected thereto by clutch mechanism, comprising a disk269 faston said shaft 12 and provided with a dog 270 pivoted to saiddisk at 271 and normally tending to move outward by a spring 272 and pin273 ready to engage notches 274 in a projecting flange 275 of the pulley27 whenever released b a locking plun er 276. This locking p unger isheld in t e frame of the machine and limited in its movement by a pin277 rojecting therefrom into a slot 278 against w ich bears the upperfree end 279 of an elbow lever whose lower end is provided with apro'ecting lug 280 in position to be engaged y a latch 281 pivoted at282 on a lever 283 and normally held forward by a spring 284, said lever283 being pivoted to the frame of the machine at 285 and connected atits free end to the treadle lever 43.. The upper end of the latch 281 isin position to be tripped or moved to the right by a pin 286 on one endof an elbow lever 287 pivoted at 288 to the frame of the machine androvided at its other end with a pin 289 promoting in a slot 290 in ablock 291, said slot being ad- 'ustable in length by a set screw 292.The

lock 291 is moved by a stem 293 projecting from the upper end of thecore 294 of a sole noid 295.

A switch 296 (whose preferred position is shown in Fig. 1 but which canbe placed at any point in the machine convenient to the hand of theoperator) is connected to the main wire 158 y wire 297, see Fig. 20, anda wire 298 in which is interposed a switch controlled by the passage ofa tag blank and comprising a stationary contact 299 and a pivotedcontact 300 spring-held at 301 and projecting at its upper end in thepath of the blanks, see Fig. 5. The switch 296 has an intermediate point302, which is dead. A Switch, shown as consisting of a stationary part303 and a movable part 304, is connect ed to the switch 296 by aconductor 305, said switch being shown in Fig. 3 and the wiring in Fi20. The movable member 304 is connested by links 306, 307 adjustable at308, to the elbow lever 279 before mentioned, and the stationary member303 is connected by a conductor 309 to the solenoid 295. When,therefore, the switch 2 6 is moved into its forward position, 1 and 20,and, the treadle rod 43 is depressed, Fig. 3, thereby pulling down theIn 280 at the lower end of the elbow lever 2%), said elbow lever ocrates to retract the bolt or plunger 27 6 from the clutch so that thedog 2T0 instantly l screw in the end of an arm spring.- into engagementwith the driving;

pulley and starts the machine. The further lowering f the trcadle closesthe switch 303. 204. thereby energizing the solenoid 395 which moveselbow lever 98? so as to hold the latch lSl out. of restraining positionwith relation to the elbow lever 279. 280. thereby leaving the bolt orplunger 276 free to be shot forward by its spring 310, Fig. 4:, ready tostop the machine at the end of one revolution. hen the switch 296 is atits intermediate position 802, Fig. 20, and the treadle is lowered asbefore, the machine will re main in operation as long as the treadle isheld down because the solenoid 295 remains inactive as its circuit isnot completed. \Vhen the switch 296 is set at its third or extreme rearosition and the trcadle is depressed. thereliy placing the solenoid 295in closedcircuit position, the machine will be stopped as soon as thetag has passed through the machine so as to permit the automatic switch299, 300 to close itself. said switch being held open by the tag while.the latter is being fed through the machine. To guard against the)ossihility of an accident in the templet-tee in mechanism andparticularly in overwinding the spring 208. I provide a switch orcircuit-closer 811. 312 shown in Fig. 13 in position to be operated by aprojectin rear end 313 of the pivoted lever 290, so t at as the windingmovement of the spring passes its normal limit. the consequent outwardmovement of said lever 220 operates to close the contacts 311, 312,thereby instantly operating the solenoid 295 to release the bolt orplunger 276 to uncouple the clutch and stop the machine. To guardagainst a rebound of the machineconnected clutch member 269, I provide alatch or auxiliary dog 314. pivoted at.271 and held yieldingly outwardby a spring 315 so as to snap behind the bolt 276 the moment; that thelatter has withdrawn the dog 270 from engage merit witli'the drivingJmlley. A further safety device is provide in the form of a solenoid 316connected to operate the main circuit breaker 152 whenever the circuitcloser 311, 31.2 is closed, thereby rendering it impossible for theoperator to start the machine again by depressin the treadle until hehas remedied the di culty which operated to close the switch 311, 312.At 317 adjacent the printing mechanism I have pivoted a lever 318 bymeans of which the numbering device can be automatically shifted at theend of each revolution or shifted by hand when desired. For this purposesaid lever is provided with a roll 319 to come into the path of a usualshifting device 320 such as is provided on numbering devices of the kindused in my machine, and said lever can either be moved down at the willof the operator by a handle 321 or held down by a set irojectingupwardly from said lever. \Vlienevcr the roll 31!") strikes the shiftingdevice 320, the (Otllllt r ir; automatically moved forward withoutstopping the machine. As the machine is constructed always to stop theparts as shown in the drawings, the operator. by grasping the handle32'! of the lever 318 and pressing downwardly, can actuate the shiftingdevice when the machine stationary.

l have found that in practice the switch 212 is quite apt to get dulledor clicked with the fiber from the cardboard of the templet as thelatter is pulled along in sliding contact. therewith. and accordingly.in order to maintain this important switch always active. I provide eachtemplet at its rear extremity with a small section of abrading surface32-1, see Fig. 21. which, as the templet is rcciprocated past thecontact maker 212. slightly scours the contact surface thereof at eachpassage. thereby cleaning it and keeping it in perfect condition.

In order to prepare the templets readily and accurately so as to controlthe machine in strict accordance with the feeding and otl'ierarrangements of the machine. I provide a hand control for the individualpunches. including a gang of contact makers or switches convenientlylocated as indicated at 325. Fig. 1. there being one of these switchesor contact makers for each electromagnet interposed in a connection 326,shown in Fig. 20 as connecting from the wire 149 to the wire 236. Itwill be understood that I have indicated these switches in conventionalmanner, although in prac' tice I ,arrange them after the manner of akeyboard.

In use. let it be supposed that the first thing to be done is to preparethe templet, in accordance for example with the requirements for somenew shoe order. The strip of cardboard. which is preferably perfectlyplain (excepting that it contains the feed holes 145) has appliedthereto a strip of thin paper 327 printed with the required data, as forexample the prices to be paid for the work, or the details of themake-up of the shoe or any other classification of items according tothe work in hand. For instance in Fig. 2i I have indicated this thinstrip of paper as having at 328 in one coiumn the prices to be paid foredge trimming, it may be, at 329 in the next column the prices to bepaid for heel scouring. The operator places the blank templet. with itsattached printed strip of thin paper in the machine, having first rockedthe inking r011 50 to the extreme left by turning its handles 330 downso as to give the yoke 51 and printing roll 50 as extreme a throw aspossible, thereby carryin the inking roll out of inking relation Wltfithe printing mechanism 7, and then he shifts the con trolling switch 296to its first position in connection with the wire 297. Fig. 20, and thendepresses those keys or switches 325 which connect with the punches thatare to be operated. He then depresses the foot treadle, whereupon thefeeding mechanism feeds the blank forward one step, halts the blank, andthen the punches whose circuits have been closed by the switches 325operate to punch out the items in the first column which are notrequired. The machine then comes to a halt. The operator then places hisfingers upon the keys or switches 325 required forpunching out thoseitems indicated in the strip 327 which are not required in the nextcolumn for the given shoe order, depresses the trcadle again. whereuponthe paper is fed. halted. and punched in accordance with the particularpunches controlled by the keys or switches depressed. As the machinecomes to a halt the second time, the operator immediately depresses theke s 325 required in accord ance with the t ird column of figures oritems on the sheet 327, depresses the treaclle, and the feeding andpunching operations are repeated. This continues until the entiretemplet is made. It will. be evident that this i is accomplished withextreme rapidity, the operator soon becoming expert. Having completedthe templet, the thin paper 327 is strifpped from the templet (and keptat y then ce to show the various costs and makeup of the shoe, etc.) andthe comparatively unintelligible templet itself. without any printing orother understandable data, is then ready for use by the regular 1operator who makes the regular tags. The operaicr who makes the templetsis usually a confidential operator who alone is entrusted with theactual prices, etc, which cannot be known from the templet Without theaccompanying key or strip 327. The feeding. etc, when the templet'isbeing made is exactly the same as when the tags are being made. havingall the features of absolute precision. etc, as already explained. Thecontinuously rotating pres-er roll or feed roll 15 (driven by the gears21, 22 and shaft 23 from the belt pulley 26) is raised by the rocking ofthe shaft 17 under the influence of the crank 18 and cam lump 2O(adjustable as shown in Fig. 19 to change the length of feed accordingto the space required by any given size of punch or coupon), and at thesame time the cooperating prrtion T of the feeding mechanism revolves.meeting the upper side of the tag or blank at. the same time that thefeed roll 15 meets the under side thereof, being driven directly by theshaft 12 and at the same time the hold-down is raised from hold- 47,raised by the lug 46 of the shaft 17. Let

it be supposed now that the templet has been made and is in place in itsraceway 139 in position to be fed forward. The instant that the blank onthe table 4 has been fed forward the required distance as justexplained, the presser foot 28 is lowered, thereby clamping the blankbetween it and the anvil 37 iminovably under the action of the cam lump34 against the roll 33 of the crank 32, which lowers the presser foot 28through the crank 30. As herein arranged, the teniplet has come to ahalt before the blank comes to a halt and is clamped, thereby insuring'l sufficiently long contact between the fingers or contactmakers 231and the plate or stationary contact 239 to fully energize those magnets118 whose punches are to be 0perated to punch holes in accordance withthe holes in the templet. The blank having come to rest, the arm 131 isswung forward by the path cam 13 and lever 134 and carries with it thosedetents 115 which have been raised by the armatures pulled down by theelectromagnets 118 which have been energized, the resulting forwardmovement of said detent and consequently of their elbow levers 111serving to lower instantly and forcibly the desired punches.

Preferably while the punches are still down the templet is fed forwardby the cam 14. lever 260, link 257 and pawl 192 so as to bring anotherset of controlling holes of the templet into circuit-closing positionfor repeating the process. The templet however arrives at this ositionreferably by two movements, the rst simp y moving the templet far enoughto disengage the circnitclosing fingers 231 and insulate them by meansof the interposed templet. while the punches are recovering their normalraised position, and then the templet moves forward an other half spaceso as to bring the next row of controlling holes into circuit-closingposition. permitting the fingers 231 to close the circuit as before. Thefeeding and printing movement then takes place again (it hein understoodthat in order to permit the fee ing mechanism to become a printingmechanism. the handle 330 has been swung upwardly so as to move theinking roller 50 ha ck into position to ink the printing mechanism 7asit revolves). If the tag being printed and punched is a combinationtag such as a sho order and price tag united in one, the hand switch 296is in its third position. closing contact with the conductor 998 so thatthe printing and punching proceed continuously and rapidly until the entire price or coupon portion of the tag is printed and punched,whereupon the tail end of the swinging trip or contact 300 swingsupwardly through a hole provided the switch 296 and the solenoid 295,bell crank 28?. arm 281, releases lever 279, permitting the plunger 276to spring forward and stop the machine. At the same instant that thetrip or spring switch 300 stops the machine and hence stops furtherpunching, the iemplct i instantly restored to its original position bythe closing of the contact 212 behind it, which energizes the circuit ofthe soleno d 13h. thereby pulling in its core 166 and releasing thedog's 1H2. 193, from their ratchet wheel so as to permit the helicalspring 05 to revcrsely rotate the drum 202 so as to feed the tcmplctback ard until l llilltll by the engagement of dog 229 with the notch 230. Fig. 1.). Just before the templct begins to move back. the contactfingers 2331 are moved out of possible interference with the backwardmovement of the templet by the rocking of their supporting shaft 234under the influence, of the crank 213, link 245, arm 2H) and connectionstherefrom to the core 166. Also whenever a templet is not in the machinethe lingers 231 are held back in said entirely inoperative positionthrough these same connections. \Vhen the door or front wall 1 H is downthe switch 147 is maintained open. thereby cutting out all the templetcontrolling or pattern mechanism, and the same is true even when thedoor is closed provided a templet is not in place. thereby preventingany possibility of this controlliim portion of the machine operatingwithout a templet. In case of accident the safety switch 311, 312,operates to stop the entire machine. When the templet reaches itsreturned position, dogs lb), 193. are restored to operative position foragain feedin; a templet forward. If ordinary price or coupon tags werebeing printed or punched the templet would now immediatel proceedforward again for making another tag upon depressing the treadle, andwhen said second tag was finished the templet would again beautomatically restored and started forward by dc ressing the treadle, athird time. for ma in a third tag, and so on, operating as rapi 1y asthe operator could feed the blanks and depress the treadlc. But inmaking the combination tag under consideration, the machineautomatically stops at the end of the coupon or price portion of thetags and then, the templet having been restored as explained, theoperator pulls out the handle, herein shown as a not 331 mounted looselyon an adjusting rod 332 of the solenoid 15G, thereby pulling thecore'ltltl thereof inwardly against the spring 1T9, and as soon as, saidhandle or not has been moved beyond a stationary pin 333, see Fig. 13,it is turned over said pin, thereby holding the core in said retractedposition. This maintains the dogs 192, 193, permanently out of possibleengagement with their ratchet, thereby rendering the teml l l l plot andits operating mechanism inoperative for the time being, so as to permitany intermmliate printing or feeding between a seriesof punching,operations. The hand switch 2% is moved into contact with Wire it? orinto its first. position toward the front of the machine. therebycausing the machine to stop at the end of each revolution. As thelreadle rises. the lever it and red 4; lift the hold-down from the blankso as to permit the operator to feed the blank forward to the nextsection or dirision thereof. as for instance the one marked VHIUPS,whereupon the treadle is depressed, thereby starting the machine and theprinting mechani m so that the case number, pairs and sheet number ofthe tag are printed on that .li ision. The machine halts after thissingle printin". the operator feeds the blank forward by hand to thenext division, as for instance liningsT the treadle is again dopr sscdprinting the same case number, airs and sheet nmn ier on this division,an the proce s is repeated for each division of the tag until the entirecombination tag is finished. llaving finished one combination tag thenext tag of the same kind is put into the machine. the next case numberis brought into position by depressing the lever 321, Fig. 1, andthereafter the tag is made the same as already explained for thepreceding tag. the automatic rapid printing and punching of the price orcoupon section of the tag being brought into action by turning thehandle or thumb nut 1131 from its raised po sition to its loweredposition on the pin 33?; so as to restore the adjacent parts of theicmplet opcrat'ing mechanism to normal position in order to permit thetemplet and hence the punching mechanism to be operated. automatically.

Ordinarily when several shop ordentags alone are to be prepared. thetcmplct is omitted. as the most ctmvenient means of rendering thepunching mechanism inopera tire. On the other hand. it it is desired tomake a shop order tag: and then its separate coupon or price ta;5 thenthe next. shop or der ta; and its coupon or price tag and so on. thetcniplct is left in the machine but. rendered inoperative each time theshop ()l der tae" beingmade and rendered operative each time thecorresponding coupon or price tag is being made. this being accomplishedby mcans of the handle or thumb not 331 as explained, When it is"desired to make a series of shop order tags, for ex ample, each havingthe same sheet number and pair for instance. but successive case numbersand to make them rapidly, instead of changing the case numbers byoperating the lever 391 by hand, said lever is held down continuously bythe thumb screw 32?. whereupon the case number is changed automaticallat. each printing operation.

One object of my machine is to combine accuracy with great rapidity,this being of importance. in connection with large shoe factories wheresometimes many hundreds of tags have to be made out every day, andaccordingly I consider as important that feature of my invention whichpermits the numbering and printing to proceed during and as a part ofthe forward feeding of the tag, the tag being halted intermittingly topermit the separate punching operations. There is no lost time. Also thetemplet is always ready to proceed or to repeat its operation. A furthervaluable feature tending to promote accuracy resides in having the blankositively held at all times either by the feed roll or the clampingmechanism, the hold-down dropping in holding contact with the blank themoment that the feed roll moves down.

The punching mechanism is not only removable as a whole for adjustnuent,etc, but the individual punches are separately adjustable on theirsupports 108 and 127 for the requirements of different tags andfactories. The punching mechanism is adjusted longitudinally fordifferent longitudinal spacing of the punched holes by the adjustingmeans 129, 130, 132-136, which adjusts the entire unching mechanism as awhole. The machine is capable of punching and printing or of punchingwithout printing or of printing without punching, according to the willof the operator. It may be set to operate once and stop or to operateuntil the tag is finished or to operate according to the will of theoperator. The clutch is under electrical control and also treadlecontrol. To vary the feed of the templet, the lever 257 is moved alongthe arm 260 the thumb nut 258 being loosened to ermitthe requisitesliding movement in the groove 259). This correspondingly swings thepawl carrier 256, witlr its pawl 192. The members 183, 188 and 190 areturned on the shaft 182, if necessary in order to maintain their roperrelation to said pawl, by first loosening the bolts 185 and 191. Ifnecessary, in order to maintain the second awl 193 in position to engagethe edge of the plate 188, said pawl and its carrier are also adjusted.

Having described my invention. what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent is:

1. A machine of the kind described, conr prising punching mechanism tofeed a card, including a series of independently operable punches,automatic means to control the operation of the unches in apredetermined order of succession throughout the length of the card, andmeans automatically to repeat a given order of punching.

2. A machine of the kind described, (t)!'il prising punching mechanismto feed a ard.

L ti

punches, automatic means to control the operation of the punches in apredetermined order of succession throughout the length of the card,means automatically to repeat a given order of punching, and means tocontinue or discontinue the latter at the will of the o erator.

3. machine o the kind described, comprising punching mechanism tooperate on a card, including a series of'independently opcrable punches,combined with controlling mechanism, including a tem' let, to controlthe order of operation of said inde endent punches, means to feed saidtemp et forward during a progressive series of punchin operations andretrac'tin' ,means to bring the te'mplet back to starting position for anew series of punching operations.

4. A machine of the kind described, comprising punching mechanism tooperate on a card, including a series of independently operable punches,combined with controlling mechanism, including a templet, to control theorder of operation of said independent punches, means to feed saidtemplet slowly orward during a progressive series of punchingoperations, and means to shift said templet back ra idly to startingposition at the end of sai series of punching operations.

5. A machine of the kind described, comprisin punching mechanism tooperate on a car including a series of independently operable punches,combined with controllin mechanism, including a templet, to contro theorder of operation of said independent punches, means to feed saidtemplet slowly forward during a progressive series of punchingoperations, and automatic means to shift said templet back rapidly tostarting position automatically at the end of said series of punchingoperations.

6. A machine of the kind described, comprising step by step mechanism tooperate on a card as it is fed through the machine, said mechanismincluding a series of independently movable parts, means to vary theeffective relation of said parts to the card for given operations ofsaid step by step mechanism, cooperating mechanism to feed a card stepby step, and a hold-down normally pressing on the card to preventaccidental movement thereof.

7. A n achine of the kind described, comprising step by step mechanismto operate on a card as it is fed through the machine, said mechanismincluding a series of independently movable arts, 11198118110 vary theetfet-tive relation 0 said parts to the card for given operations ofsaid step by step mechanism, cooperating mechanism to feed a card stepby step, a hold-down normally pressing on the card to prevent accidentalmovement thereof, and manually-controlled including a series ofindependently operable means to start the feeding mechanism, providedwith means to raise said hold-down when the feeding mechanism is readyto feed the card.

8. A machine of the kind described, comprising step by step mechanism tooperate on a card as it is fed through the machine, said mechanismincluding a series of independently movable parts, means to vary theeffective relation of said parts to the card for given operations ofsaid step by step mechanism, cooperatin mechanism to feed a card step bystep, an an automatic clamping device to clamp the card immovably at theend of each feeding operation.

9. A machine of the kind described, comprising step by step mechanism tooperate on a card as it is fed through the machine, said mechanismincluding a series of independently movable arts, means to vary theeffective relation of said parts to the card for given operations ofsaid step by step mechanism, cooperating mechanism to feed a card stepby step, an automatic clamping device to clamp the card immovably at theend of each feeding operation, and means operating in timed relation tothe feeding operation to release said clamping device from the cardduring the feeding of the latter and to move said device to clampingposition the instant the feeding movement 1t). machine of the kinddescribed, comprising, step by step mechanism to operate on a. card asit is fed through the machine, said mechanism including a. series ofindependently movable parts, means to vary the effective relation ofsaid parts to the card for given operations of said step by stepmechanism, cot'iperating mechanisn to feed a card step by step, anautomatic clamping device to clamp the card immovably at the end of eachfeeding operation. and a holdalown normally in frictional engage mentwith the card permitting the card to be fed and restraining it fromimproper movement.

ll. machine of the kind described, comprising step by step ii echanismto operate on a card as it is fed through the machine, said mechanismincluding a series of independently movable parts. means to vary theeffective relation of said parts to the card for given operati ns ofsaid step by step mechanism, cooperating mechanism to feed a card stepby step. and an automatic clamping device, including a presser footvertically movable over the bed of the machine, and means to vary theoperation of said clamping device to stop the work at the instant thefeeding movement ceases.

l). A machine of the kind described. com prising step by step n-cchanismto operate on a ard as it is fed through the machine. said nu-clninismincluding a series of independently movable parts. means to vary theeifective relation of said parts to the card for given operations ofsaid step by ste mechanism, cooperating mechanism to fee a card step bystep, an automatic clamping device, including a presser foot verticallymovable over the bed of the machine, and means to vary the operation ofsaid clamping device to stop the work at the instant the feedingmovement ceases, and a hold-down normally in engagement with the work,and means to release said hold-down from the work the moment the feedingof the latter begins.

13. A machine of the kind described, com prising step by step mechanismto operate on a card as it is fed through the machine, said mechanismincluding a series of inde pendently movable parts, means to vary theeffective relation of said parts to the card for given operations ofsaid step by step mechanism, cooperating mechanism to feed a card stepby step, an automatic clamping device, including a bifurcated presserfoot vertically movable over the bed of the machine, and means to varythe operation of said clan-ping device to tcp the work at the instantthe feeding movement ceases, and a hold-down normally in engagement withthe work between the parts of the bifurcated presser foot, and means torelease said hold-down from the work the moment the feeding of thelatter begins.

14. A machine of the kind described. com prising step by step mechanismto operate on a card as it is fed through the machine, said mechanismincluding a series of independently movable parts, means to vary theeffective relation of said parts to the card for given operations ofsaid step by step mechanism, and automatic stopping means to stop themachine after one operation on the card.

15. A machine of the kind described, comprising step by step mechanismto operate on a card as it is fed through the machine, said mechanismincluding a series of independently movable parts, means to vary theeffective relation of said parts to the card for given operations ofsaid step by step mechanism. and manually controlled stopping means tostop the machine after any operation on the card.

16. A machine of the kind described, comprising step by step mechanismto operate on a card as it is fed through the machine. said mechanismincluding a series of independently movable parts. means to vary theeffective relation of said parts to the card for given operations ofsaid step by step mechanism, and automatic stopping means to stop themachine after a predetermined series of operations on the card.

17. A machine of the kind described, comprising step by step mechanismto operate

